Metal banded top for a desk or the like



Sept. 9, 1958 E. BRAAL EI'AL METAL BANDED TOP FOR A DESK OR THE LIKEFiled Nov. 14, 1957.

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Sept. 9, 1958 E- BRAAL EII'AL 2,851,323

METAL BANDED TOP FOR A DESK OR THE LIKE Filed Nov. 14, 1957 2Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTORS EmanBz'aaZ Broa- Milena-Huron WITNESS 2aErIJin3B.Hor 9an dl S Q? 4 BY fiez jazzzz'a J; 0on1.

WU Claude Z.Pzul MWQLQMC) ATTORNEY United States Patent NIETAL BANDEDTOP FOR A DESK OR THE LIKE Emau Braal, Bror W. Henrikson, Erviug B.Morgan, Benjamin J. m, and Claude L. Paul, Grand Rapids, Mich.,assignors to American Seating Company, Grand Rapids, Mich., acorporation of New Jersey Application November 14, 1957, Serial No.696,344

12 Claims. (Cl. 311-107) The present invention relates to a topconstruction for desks, tables and the like.

The primary objects of the invention are to provide a top constructionin which a relatively thin, flat, plastic laminate panel provides thework surface for the desk top, the panel being banded by a molding orrim which serves both decorative and structural requirements; to providesuch a top construction which is especially well adapted for use inconnection with classroom units of the combination chair-desk type; andin general to provide such a top structure which is rugged and durablein use, reasonably economical in manufacture and attractive inappearance.

An illustrative embodiment of the invention is shown in the accompanyingdrawings, wherein:

Figure 1 is a side and rear perspective view of a combination chair-deskunit embodying the top construction of this invention;

Figure 2 is an enlarged horizontal sectional view, looking up, taken online 2-2 of Figure l and showing the desk top in bottom plan;

Figure 3 is a fragmentary vertical sectional view of the same taken online 3-3 of Figure 2;

Figure 4 is an enlarged vertical sectional view thereof taken on lines4-4 of Figures 2 and 3;

Figure 5 is a further enlarged fragmentary vertical sectional view ofparts thereof, taken on line 55 of Figure 4;

Figure 6 is a similarly enlarged fragmentary vertical sectional view ofother parts, taken on line 66 of Figure 4;

Figure 7 is a fragmentary vertical sectional view taken on line 77 ofFigure 6;

Figure 8 is a greatly enlarged fragmentary vertical sectional view takenon line 88 of Figure 5; and

Figure 9 is a sectional View of the extruded molding or rim of thestructure prior to its assembly with the top panel.

Referrin now in detail to these drawings, the combination chair-deskshown in Figure 1 generally comprises a chair It) and a desk top 11mounted on the chair by means of a tubular metal supporting arm 12secured as by welding to the metal frame of the chair 10.

The top 11 generally comprises a flat top panel 13 which is desirablymade of a plastic laminate and which provides a work surface for theunit, a rim 14 which is desirably made of extruded aluminum, and spacedpar allel struts 15 spanning the rim 14 beneath the top panel 13 insupporting relation thereto.

The extruded edge molding or rim 14 is shown per se in greatly enlargedvertical section in Figure 9. This view shows the molding as it isinitially extruded and prior to its assembly with the other parts of thetop structure. It comprises an outer wall 16 and three inwardlyextending flanges, a top flange 17, middle flange 18 and bottom flange19. The top flange 17 is initially extruded with an inward-downwardslope as seen in Figure 9. The middle flange 18 has along its inner edgea head 20 having a weakened connection 21 with the middle flange 18. Arecess 22 is provided along the underside of the bead 20 for theinsertion of a crimping tool. The middle flange 18 also has a downwardlyopening groove 23 adjacent the rims outer wall 16, the purpose of whichis hereinafter fully described.

"When the top is assembled, the rim 14 surrounds the top panel 13 asshown in Figure 2 with the ends of the rim abutting at 24. (See alsoFigure 7.) The marginal peripheral edge of the top panel 13 is engagedbetween the rims top flange 17 and middle flange 18. The top flange 17is sprung upwardly so that its inner edge snugly engages the uppersurface of the top panel. To insure this snug fit and to compensate forinevitable slight variations in the thicknesses of top panels 13 fordifferent units, the bead 26 is crimped upwardly at intervals into tightengagement with the under surface of the top panel 13 by means of asuitable crimping tool inserted in the beads recess 22. The top panel 13shown in Figure 8 is slightly under the optimum dimensional thickness,but it will be seen that the crimping of the head 20 neverthelessinsures a snug fit of the parts.

The spaced parallel struts 15 span the closed rim 14 from front to rear,the opposite ends of the struts being secured to the rim between therims middle flange 18 and bottom flange 19. The struts 15 are ofinverted hat section and the outwardly extending horizontal upperflanges 25 of the struts engage the under surface of the top panel 13 insupporting relation thereto. (See Figure 6.) The opposite ends of thestruts 15 have vertical tabs 26 extending outwardly from the side walls27 of the struts. The upper edges of the tabs 26 are seated in thegroove 23 of the rim 14, and the bottom flange 19 of the rim is crimpedupwardly at 28 in the regions of the tabs thus to secure the lower edgesof the tabs to the rim.

An auxiliary strut 29, likewise of inverted hat section, extends betweenone of the main struts 15 (the left-hand strut 15 as seen in Figures 2and 3) and the ends of the rim 14 which abut at 24. The inner end of theauxiliary strut 29 has a tab 3d extending through a slot 31 in the sidewall 27 of the adjacent strut 15 for securing this inner end of theauxiliary strut 29 to said strut 15. The outer end of the auxiliarystrut 29 has vertical tabs 32 the upper edges of which are seated in therims groove 23 and the lower edges of which are secured to the rim 14 bycrimping the rims bottom flange 19 at 33 in the regions of the tabs 32.By this means the abutting ends of the rim 14 are securely anchored sothat they cannot be pried loose from the top panel 13.

The desk top 11 is secured to a suitable supporting structure-in thiscase the frame of the chair lit-by means of the supporting arm 12 whichis fabricated of metal tubing bent to provide a horizontal portion 34and a vertical portion 35. The horizontal portion 34 extends between andis secured as by welding to hanger brackets 36 which are secured to theundersides of the struts 15 by means of bolts 37 which extend upwardlythrough T-slots 38 in the struts and have nuts 39 on their upper ends.The slots 38 are forWardly-rearwardly elongated so that the top 11 canbe forwardly-rearwardly adjusted on the supporting structure prior totightening of the bolts 37 and nuts 39. The top can thus be positionedrelative to the chair 10 to suit varying requirements. The verticalportion 35 of the supporting arm 12 depends from the desk top at oneside thereof and is adapted for attachment at its lower end to the frameof the chair It).

It will thus be seen that the invention provides a top construction fora desk or the like which is sturdy, durable and attractive, and whilebut one specific embodiment of the invention has been herein shown anddescribed it will be understood that numerous details may be altered oromitted without departing from the spirit of the invention as defined bythe following claims.

We claim:

1. A top for a desk or the like, comprising: a flat top panel; a rimhaving inwardly extending top, middle and bottom flanges, said rimsurrounding said top panel with the marginal peripheral edge of thepanel engaged between the top and middle flanges of the rim; and a strutspanning the rim beneath the top panel and engaging the .under surfaceof the top panel in supporting relation thereto, the opposite ends ofsaid strut being secured to the rim between the middle and bottomflanges of the rim.

2. A top for a desk or the like according to claim 1 in which the rimstop flange is initially provided with an inward-downward slope and issprung upwardly in the assembled condition of the members so that itsinner edge snugly engages the upper surface of the top panel.

3. A top for a desk or thelike according to claim 1 in which the rimsmiddle flange has along its inner edge a bead crimped upwardly atintervals into tight engagement with the under surface of the top panel.

4. A top for a desk or the like according to claim 3 in which the beadsconnection to the rims middle flange is weakened to facilitate crimpingof the head.

5. A top for a desk or the like according to claim 4 in which the beadis provided with a recess along its underside for the insertion of acrimping tool.

6. A top for a desk or the like according to claim 1 in which theopposite ends of the strut have outwardly extending vertical tabsengaged between the middle and bottom flanges of the rim, the middleflange of the rim having a downwardly opening groove for the receptionand retention of the upper edges of said tabs, and the bottom flange ofthe rim being crimped upwardly in the regions of the tabs to secure thelower edges of the tabs to the rim.

7. A top for a desk or the like, comprising: a flat top panel; a rimhaving inwardly extending top, middle and bottom flanges, said rimsurrounding said top panel with the marginal peripheral edge of thepanel engaged between the top and middle flanges of the rim; and spacedparallel struts spanning the rim beneath the top panel and engaging theunder surface of the top panel in supporting relation thereto, theopposite ends of said struts being secured to the rim between the middleand bottom flanges of the rim.

8. A top for a desk or the like according to claim 7 in which the spacedparallel struts span the rim in a forwardly rearwardly direction and areprovided on their undersides with laterally aligned hanger brackets, anda supporting arm having a horizontal portion extending between andsecured to said hanger brackets and a vertical portion depending fromthe desk top at one side thereof and adapted for attachment at its lowerend to a suitable supporting structure.

9. A top for a desk or the like according to claim 8 in which thesupporting arm comprises a length of metal tubing bent to provide thehorizontal and vertical portions thereof.

10. A top for a desk or the like according to claim 8 in which thespaced parallel struts are forwardly-rearwardly adjustable on the hangerbrackets so that the top can be adjusted forwardly-rearwardly relativeto the supporting structure.

11. A top for a desk or the like, comprising: a flat top panel; anextruded rim having inwardly extending top, middle and bottom flanges,said rim surrounding said top panel with the marginal peripheral edge ofthe panel engaged between the top and middle flanges of the rim, saidtop flange being initially extruded with an inwarddownward slope andbeing sprung upwardly in the assembled conditionof the members so thatits inner edge snugly engages the upper surface of the top panel, andsaid middle flange having along its inner edge a bead crimped upwardlyat intervals into tight engagement with the under surface of the toppanel; spaced struts of inverted hat section spanning the rim beneaththe top panel with the outwardly extending horizontal upper flanges ofthe struts engaging the under surface of the top panel in supportingrelation thereto, the opposite ends of said struts having vertical tabsextending outwardly from the side walls of the struts and engagedbetween the middle and bottom flanges of said rim, the middle flange ofthe rim having also a downwardly opening groove for the reception andretention of the upper edges of said tabs, and the bottom flange of therim being crimped upwardly in the regions of the tabs to secure thelower edges of the tabs to the rim.

12. A top for a desk or the like according to claim 11 wherein anauxiliary strut of inverted hat section extends between one of the mainstruts and the abutting ends of said rim, the outer end of saidauxiliary strut having vertical tabs extending outwardly adjacent saidabutting ends respectively, the upper edges of said tabs being retainedin said groove, and the rims bottom flange being crimped upwardly in theregions of the tabs to secure the lower edges of the tabs to the rim.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS1,690,286 Fitch et al. Nov. 6, 1928 2,298,578 Madsen Oct. 13, 19422,454,695 Hammer NOV. 23, 1948 2,563,153 Hickman Sept. 18, 19512,733,111 Nordmark Jan. 31, 1956 2,786,727 Nordmark Mar. 26, 1957

